A Fall Skincare Routine Focused on Managing Eczema Flare-Ups

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

Can you believe it’s already fall? This year has flown by. Since it’s a new season, I’m here with an updated fall skincare routine. 

Even though fall officially starts this week, New York City’s weather is just beginning to fluctuate. But, I’m tweaking my skincare routine a bit as we transition from summer to fall.

“Skincare is a wardrobe for your face. As we adjust and alter our clothing to prepare for fall, we must also do the same for our skin pantry.” – NYC esthetician Shatelle Wins

Tweet

So, I’m giving you an update on everything I’m currently using and testing for the fall, plus I’m listing the steps in the order I layer them.

If you missed my other seasonal routines, check out what I used in the summer and winter. And if you’re starting your skincare journey, check out my post on How To Build A Skincare Routine, so you know what products you’ll need to invest in first.

MY FALL SKINCARE ROUTINE GOALS

Before we get started, I want to give you a few details on me and my skin. My skin is dry, sensitive, and I’m eczema-prone. I’m also prone to dehydration. I’m 39 years old, and I live in New York, where it’s getting chilly, and the air is drier. 

I always like to provide these details since you should consider your environment, age, lifestyle, and skin concerns when assessing your skincare routine.

The goal of my fall skincare routine is to address:

• Anti-Aging: There are a few products in my routine that have helped keep my skin smooth, soft, and plump. So, expect to see retinol, peptides, and my Bioeffect EGF serum in my routine. I also want to address skin laxity and the fine lines in the eye area. So, I’ll be trying more eye creams and incorporating more microcurrent in my skincare routine.
• Keeping My Skin Barrier Strong: My skin naturally gets drier and more dehydrated when it gets colder, easily compromising the skin barrier. So, it’s no surprise that I also experience the most eczema flareups during the fall and winter. So, I like to layer products that keep my skin hydrated and keep my skin barrier strong.

Now, let’s get into my fall skincare routine step-by-step. And keep in mind that while the products in my fall skincare routine may change as I test new things, the steps in my fall skincare routine don’t really change. I like to say this because consistency is crucial in skincare, so stick to a skincare routine to see results.

MY FALL SKINCARE ROUTINE IN THE MORNING (AM)

The purpose of my morning skincare routine is to prep and protect my skin for the day. In my opinion, my morning routine is no different from having a shower before getting dressed.

STEP 1: CLEANSER

I generally cleanse morning and night. 

I know the topic of whether you need to wash your face in the morning or not can be pretty controversial. So, when it comes to cleansing your face, do what works for you. Just keep in mind that proper cleansing is the foundation of your skincare routine. If you don’t wash your face properly, then the rest of your skincare can’t do their job effectively.

CURRENT CLEANSERS IN ROTATION:

1. Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser for Darker Skin Tones
2. Jordan Samuel Skin The Matinee Gel Cleanser (reviewed here)
3. Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3%
4. Holifrog Superior Omega Nutritive Gel Wash
5. Paula’s Choice Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser
6. Skinmedica Sensitive Skin Cleanser

STEP 2: VITAMIN C SERUM (OR AN ANTIOXIDANT SERUM)

Everyone knows how much I love Vitamin C for my skin. You’ll see Vitamin C in my skincare routine year-round. 

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps your skin’s natural regeneration process. This helps with overall brightness, evening the skin tone, and getting rid of those pesky dark marks (otherwise known as hyperpigmentation).

CURRENT VITAMIN C SERUMS IN ROTATION:

1. Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster (reviewed here).
2. Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Vitamin C Serum
3. Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum
4. Holifrog Sunnyside C Glow Serum (this is a new serum I’ll be trying out)

I also rotate in Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Anti-Pollution Drops during this step since it’s an antioxidant serum.

STEP 3: FACE MISTS & ESSENCES

Here’s when I start to add in hydration. Your skin is like a sponge. So, when it’s damp, what you apply afterward penetrates deeper. 

Throughout the year, I apply a face mist and apply a hyaluronic serum. But during the colder months, I add more hydrating layers to my routine, and essences are a perfect addition. Essences provide immediate hydration and are easily layerable with the other serums you apply afterward.

CURRENT FACE MISTS & ESSENCES IN ROTATION:

1. Caudalie Grape Water 
2. Jordan Samuel Skin The Hydrating Mist (reviewed here)
3. NIOD Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist (reviewed here)
4. Naturium Hyaluronic Acid Essence 2%
5. Youth To The People Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist with Peptides
6. Bioeffect EGF Essence (reviewed here)
7. Neogen Real Ferment Micro Essence

STEP 4: SERUMS

Serums generally have a higher concentration of active ingredients because they’re made up of smaller molecules that can penetrate deeper into the skin.

Since my skincare routine focuses on anti-aging and maintaining skin barrier health, I incorporate hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, collagen, peptides, omega fatty acids, and retinol products. I only use retinol at night, though.

MY CURRENT SERUMS IN ROTATION:

1. Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster (reviewed here)
2. Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster (reviewed here)
3. Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum
4. NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (reviewed here)
5. Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster (reviewed here)
6. Pestle & Mortar Cosmetics Pure Hyaluronic Serum
7. Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Serum (reviewed here)
8. Paula’s Choice Peptide Booster (reviewed here)
9. Dr. Barbara Sturm Calming Serum
10. NIOD Modulating Glucosides (reviewed here)

STEP 5: MOISTURIZER

As the weather gets colder, you’ll see me apply more emollient moisturizers. The main goal of a good moisturizer is to lock in all the goodness you’ve put on your face beforehand and prevent water loss.

Do you still have a moisturizer from the summer that you need to finish? No worries. Add in a facial oil to make it more emollient for the fall. #fallskintip #fallskincare #moisturizertip

— Beauty In Color (@beautyincolor_) September 22, 2021

CURRENT MOISTURIZERS IN ROTATION:

1. Youth To The People Adaptogen Cream
2. Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Face Cream
3. Good Science Beauty Hydrating Cream (use promo code BEAUTYINCOLOR at checkout for a discount)
4. MDO Skin Intense Hydrating Moisturizer
5. Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer
6. Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer
7. Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Face Cream
8. Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream for Darker Skin Tones

STEP 6: SUNSCREEN

Sunscreen is one of the essential skincare steps in your routine.

If you aren’t wearing sunscreen, you can’t expect results from any other skincare steps. #wearyoursunscreen #skintip

— Beauty In Color (@beautyincolor_) September 22, 2021

Protect your skin and wear sunscreen every day. I prefer chemical sunscreens because they’re easy to rub in.

CURRENT SUNSCREENS IN ROTATION:

1. Dr. Barbara Sturm Sun Drops SPF 50
2. Paula’s Choice Youth Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50
3. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30

STEP 7: LIP BALM

As we transition from summer to fall, my lips are guaranteed to become more chapped. But, these lip balms below don’t leave your lips looking greasy but ensure your lips won’t dry out in 30 minutes.

CURRENT LIP BALMS IN ROTATION:

1. Bioderma Atoderm Lip Balm
2. Aquaphor Lip Repair
3. Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm 
4. Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm (reviewed here)
5. Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid & Peptide Lip Booster
6. Dr. Barbara Sturm Lip Balm

MY FALL SKINCARE ROUTINE IN THE EVENING (PM)

The purpose of my evening skincare routine is to repair and correct my skin.

STEP 1: OIL CLEANSERS (FIRST CLEANSE)

You all know how I feel about double-cleansing. There’s no arguing the importance of an adequately cleansed face, and that includes an oil cleanser. Check out my blog on oil cleansers for more of my thoughts on the topic. 

I enjoy oil cleansers and balm cleansers. So, I won’t steer you towards one over the other. I recommend finding an oil cleanser that you love and making sure you use it every night (even if you’re just wearing sunscreen).

CURRENT OIL CLEANSERS IN ROTATION:

1. Deviant Skincare Cleansing Concentrate
2. Jordan Samuel Skin The Aftershow Treatment for Sensitive Skin (reviewed here)
3. The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm
4. Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm (reviewed here)
5. HoliFrog Kissimmee Vitamin F Therapy Balmy Wash (reviewed here)

STEP 2: GEL/CREAM CLEANSER (SECOND CLEANSE)

I typically reach for creamier cleansers in the colder months since I am on the drier side, but there are a few gel cleansers that I’m enjoying too. 

Again, the key is that the cleanser you use is gentle and non-drying. For more information on water-based cleansers, check out this blog post.

CURRENT GEL & CREAM CLEANSERS IN ROTATION:

1. Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser for Darker Skin Tones
2. Jordan Samuel Skin The Matinee Gel Cleanser (reviewed here)
3. Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3%
4. Holifrog Superior Omega Nutritive Gel Wash
5. Paula’s Choice Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser
6. Skinmedica Sensitive Skin Cleanser

STEP 3: SERUMS & TREATMENTS

After my face is clean, I generally apply an “active” to target specific skincare concerns. My active product could range from a peptide serum to retinol. I would refer to my blog post on how to layer your skincare for more details on applying your treatments.

CURRENT SERUMS & TREATMENTS IN ROTATION:

1. Niacinamide helps fade hyperpigmentation, prevent breakouts, improve skin tone. It also refines the appearance of pores and skin texture. When I consistently incorporate niacinamide into my routine, my skin tone looks even with reduced redness. I’ve been using the 10% Niacinamide Booster from Paula’s Choice as well as their new Niacinamide 20% Treatment.
2. Peptides are another ingredient I’m incorporating into my skincare routine because they provide significant anti-aging benefits. They target firmness, dullness, wrinkles, and discoloration. I like the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 and NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Lipid 1%. For a less potent option, I’d recommend the Paula’s Choice Peptide Booster. 
3. Retinol promotes skin cells turnover, slows down collagen breakdown, and thickens the skin where wrinkles start forming. I’m currently rotating Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment, Jordan Samuel Skin Retinol Treatment Oil (reviewed here), AbsoluteJOI Skincare’s Skin Refining Night Oil (reviewed here).
4. Acid Toners are my preferred method of exfoliation. Most of the acid toners I love are pretty gentle: Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant and Pestle & Mortar NMF Lactic Acid Toner). But when I crave a more potent exfoliant, I’ll use my Biologique Recherche’s P50V 1970. Check out my first impressions of this product here.
5. Skin Barrier Serums help strengthen the skin barrier and soothe the skin. Keeping your skin barrier strong and healthy is extremely important. And when you have eczema-prone skin, you always have a few calming serums in your arsenal. I usually rotate my Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Serum, Dr. Barbara Sturm Night Serum, Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Serum (reviewed here), NIOD Modulating Glucosides (reviewed here), and Bioeffect’s EGF Serum (reviewed here).

DISCLAIMER: Because of my sensitive skin, I only apply ONE active per routine. Using too many actives can irritate your skin, especially when layered incorrectly.

STEP 4: MOISTURIZER

Cooler months come with more emollient moisturizers. I love the “glazed donut” look at night.

“Going into fall, you might begin to feel more dehydrated as the humidity decreases. It’s the perfect time to ramp up to richer moisturizers and reincorporate retinol into your routine.” – New York esthetician, Lara Kaiser

Tweet

CURRENT MOISTURIZERS IN ROTATION:

1. Youth To The People Adaptogen Cream
2. Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Face Cream
3. Good Science Beauty Hydrating Cream (use promo code BEAUTYINCOLOR at checkout for a discount)
4. MDO Skin Intense Hydrating Moisturizer
5. Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer
6. Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer
7. Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Face Cream
8. Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream for Darker Skin Tones

STEP 5: FACE OIL

As the weather gets cooler, I start to incorporate face oils into my routine more regularly. A layer of face oil locks in all the goodness you applied beforehand and helped prevent overnight moisture loss. I also love to use a good face oil when I give myself a facial massage.

You’ll see me use face oils more in my evening routine. While I don’t want to be a grease ball during the day, I worry less about being a little more “glazed” while I sleep.

“This is usually the time I put retinols and facial oils back into heavy rotation. Having extra occlusives in my fall routine helps me retain moisture longer and protects against harsh winds that can irritate my skin.” – Chicago esthetician, Ashley White.

Tweet

CURRENT FACE OILS IN ROTATION:

1. Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Antioxidant Face Oil (reviewed here)
2. Indie Lee Squalane Oil
3. Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+
4. Pai Skincare Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil
5. Deviant Skincare Facial Oil

FALL SKINCARE EXTRAS (USE AS NEEDED)

CLEAN SKIN CLUB CLEAN TOWELS

I’ve been religiously using the Clean Skin Club Clean Towels for three years now. These disposable, biodegradable towels are large, soft, and durable. Washcloths might look clean, but they can collect a lot of dirt, makeup, oil, and dead skin cells that you can’t even see. So, these Clean Towels ensure that bacteria from washcloths don’t break me out. For more on my love for them, check out my blog review here.

For a discount on your purchase, use my code “BEAUTYINCOLOR” in the discount code box when you checkout.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NYC Beauty Blogger w/ Eczema (@beautyincolor_official)

HUMIDIFIER

Drier air correlates to drier skin. When it’s cold, and there’s less moisture in the environment, the atmosphere draws moisture from wherever it can, and that includes your skin. As we transition from summer to fall, using a humidifier helps counteract the dry air, making our environment less likely to pull moisture from our skin. And for our skin to properly do its job, it needs to be sufficiently hydrated.

Having a humidifier is an easy way to curb some of the dryness and irritation of cold weather. And there are so many humidifiers to accommodate any lifestyle. There are mini ones that you can fit on your desk, big ones that humidify entire rooms, and silent ones that won’t mess with your sleep schedule.

Check out a few of my suggestions on Amazon.

FACE MASKS

I’m going to fully admit that I’m lazy when it comes to masks. I prefer to either use a “sleeping” mask that you don’t rinse off or a sheet mask. Both are great for soothing the skin and help to seal in treatments/serums that have been applied.

CURRENT FACE MASKS IN ROTATION:

1. Bioeffect Hydrogel Imprinting Mask 
2. Pai Skincare Rosehip BioRegenerate Rapid Radiance Mask
3. First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma Arnica Relief & Rescue Mask
4. Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Mask

MICROCURRENT DEVICES

I’ve been using the ZIIP Beauty device pretty consistently this summer, and I’ve been enjoying the results so far. I’ll be share more of my thoughts on this device soon. Get 20% OFF your ZIIP Beauty device using my discount code “DANA20” at checkout.

I’ll also be trying out the NuFACE Mini Facial Toning Device. I’ll keep you posted on which device I like better.

That’s everything going on my face for the fall right now! now!

DISCLAIMER: Keep in mind that I test a lot of stuff! Your skincare routine doesn’t need to be this intricate. If I’ve inspired you to try something new, I advise you to introduce just ONE new product into your routine. That way, you’ll know which products are working and not working… and you won’t irritate your skin. Check out my post on How To Build A Routine for your must-have skincare steps.

What’s in your fall skincare routine?
Have you tried any of the products mentioned?
Did you spot any favs? 

DID YOU LIKE THIS BLOG POST? PIN IT!